On September 16, the Israeli army began a ground operation to capture the city of Gaza. Netanyahu’s government has said its goal is to destroy Hamas, reports Axios.
The new operation means a further escalation of the war, which has been going on for almost two years. It is expected to lead to an increase in the number of victims and an even greater humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
On Monday evening, the airstrikes on Gaza became more intense. Palestinian media reported that IDF tanks entered the city after them. Eyewitnesses spoke of massive bombings after midnight from Monday to Tuesday.
“Gaza City is under intense, merciless bombardment, and the danger continues to grow. The houses were destroyed, people were under the rubble, – said the local authorities.
A representative of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Civil Defense, Mahmoud Bassal, confirmed that shelling continues throughout the city, and the number of dead and injured is rising rapidly.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on the night of September 16 that the troops are “fighting bravely to create conditions for the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas”.
“Gaza is on fire. The IDF destroys terrorist infrastructure with an iron fist. We will not retreat and we will not relax our efforts until the mission is completed, he emphasized.
